Culturally appetising and possibly one of the best shows for new talent that I have graced in a long time. The Team behind The Voyage put on a multifaceted headline show that showcased some of the new classical sounds coming out of the UK and Belgium. The voyage founded by Sade Lawson and Imran Malik aims to lead the taste makers in the creative industry. Using their background in marketing and PR Imran and Sade have created a creative Hub covering divisions such as marketing, creative commissioning, profile management and Live events. “ The voyage Presents aims to put a spotlight on emerging talent from different markets” For the debut of ‘The Voyage presents’ the duo scouted some international talents and gave them a stage for us brits to endower in. The pair tried to distance themselves from conventional international talent and decided to opt for talent coming out of Belgium as it wasn’t something we had seen before.

The Voyage put on a multifaceted headline show that showcased some of the new classical sounds coming out of the UK and Belgium.

The voyage presents event located at the Old Blue Last curated sound waves that had me feeling cool just to be in the presence of these blessed artists. The crowd was a concoction of A&R’s, writers, industry heads and Artists but boujie was not the vibe you caught. The authenticity of the music transfused to the audience, it was very evident that we were all being exposed to a new wave of artists that was about to expand the diversity of our Apple music playlist. The acts each individually exhibited their unique solitary flair, with melodic vibes and punctuate beat drops, the mixture of genres including hip hop and alternative R&B swayed the room in coherent.

 it was very evident that we were all being exposed to a new wave of artists that was about to expand the diversity of our Apple music playlist.

I believe that you become what you consume and it’s important that we have artists that not only make good music but also try and converse positive conscious messages through their music. This is the case with artist Darrell Cole, a rapper with a flow that will serenade you to sweet dreams. My favourite artist of the night was Coely; a singer/rapper from Belgium who did not lack technicality in either art form. She easily sings as great as she raps and her stage presence reminded me of a future star. Kojey Radical made a suprise appearance on the night, laying some lyrics down on one of Coely’s tracks from her album.  Other acts that graced the stage were K1D, Bassette, blackwave, and Woodie smalls. 

The intimate setting of the Old Blue Last made the event inclusive, the artists mingled with the crowd and it was very clear that they were happy to be performing in London. Bassette transcended her angelic notes through the room and Woodie smalls had everyone nodding their heads to his rhythm. blackwave the duo from Belgium which consists of a rapper and singer energized the room with their charismatic stage persona and witty harmonizing. It’s refreshing to attend a music event, where talent cannot be denied and where everyone left feeling as if they had a new artist to add to their radar. 

An ambitious move from Sade & Imran, the duo showcased acts from a different market even though there was a chance that no one would even know who they were. If your into Old School Hip hop or Alternative R&B be sure to check out these artists as they are all outstandingly talented with the potential to reach markets globally. The Voyage will present Live shows every three months so be sure to look out for any updates on their social media pages so you can be a part of discovering new talent on a timeline far before the masses.

Photography by @daveysoul